What Lies Beneath Our Eyes
by ChrisTheTeenagedWitch
Summary: "I'm sorry Granger." He actually sounded genuinely sorry, like he actually meant it. Hermione was surprised by how Malfoy sounded, but drew her wand back. "Me too, Malfoy." She wiped more tears that fell from her eyes then turned away to leave.


Chapter 1

The party echoed in Hermione Granger's ears. Of course, the party was for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Hermione had nothing to do with the Quidditch team, but decided to stay since it was a big moment for Ron.

Ron was in the crowd, getting all the attention from everyone. And of course, Ron loved the attention, since he usually never really gets any. Well, he got attention from his friends and most of his family. Most of his family. But tonight, Ron was the center of attention, since he was basically the reason the Gryffindors won the game.

Hermione wasn't with Ron and all of his fans, though. She was sitting near the fireplace with Harry, Ginny, and Dean. They let Ron have all of the attention while they just sat and talk by the fire.

"Will Ron ever get tired of all the attention?" Ginny wondered out loud, turning her head to look at her brother being ambushed by the crowd.

"Eventually, maybe," Harry sighed. "I know I got tired of it by the time I got to my dorm during the first year."

Hermione crossed her arms and shook her head. "Let Ron have his glory moment, he'll get over it eventually."

"Hopefully," Ginny said, her eyes still on her brother. Suddenly, Ginny's eyes widened and all color drained from her face. "Did he just really..." Ginny's voice faded.

"What? What is it?" Hermione asked. She turned to look at Ron until she realized what was happening.

Lavender Brown and Ron were snogging right in the middle of the room.

Hermione's heart stopped and her throat clogged. Tears threatened to fill her eyes as the noise in the room started to feel distant because of the buzzing sound in her ears. Almost everyone knew that Ron and Hermione liked each other, even though they never talked about and they never have gone out. So eyes darted immediately to Hermione when Ron and Lavender kissed. She knew the eyes belonged mainly to her friends, though.

Hermione teared her eyes from the couple in the middle of the room and looked at her concerned friends in the room. She put on the best fake smile she could manage and smiled. "It's fine," she tried to keep her voice from shaking.

Dean nodded and looked back at the crowd, but Harry and Ginny weren't convinced. Hermione guessed it would be harder to convince them, since they knew her almost more than herself. But she kept putting on a facade with her smile. She hoped they would be convinced soon, since she knew it couldn't last any longer. She needed to get out and find someplace private as soon as possible.

Ginny eventually returned the smile, but her eyes still looked worried. Harry didn't even bother to try to look convinced. He still looked like something was terribly wrong. Which there was.

"I'm going to the library, I think I left my book in there," Hermione stood up. She couldn't stay any longer in here, her smile was starting to fade.

"Okay..." Ginny said slowly, still looking at her.

Hermione took one last look at the couple in the middle of the room, who looked like they were vertically wrestling. Hermione felt her heart rip into two, but didn't dare show it. She kept a normal pace while walking through the common room. She had to remind herself to not sprint out and not to make her steps shaky. But when she reached the exit and the Fat Lady portrait opened so Hermione could leave, she bolted as soon as she was out of eye sight. Tears trickled down her cheek freely, and her steps grew more shaky with each step she took.

She tried to think of a place where no one would find her. The library was too obvious, she would have to pass the common room while walking to her dorm, and Harry could easily find her with the Maurder's Map. She needed to find a place, and fast.

An idea popped into her head.

She continued to sprint through the Hogwarts halls and the stairs. Tears stained her vision, but she quickly wiped it away with the back of her hand. She was almost there...

_I need a place to hide, _Hermione said in her head once as she passed a hall. When the hall reach the end, she walked through it again. _I need a place to hide._ She reached the end of the hall yet again, then walked through it again. _I need a place to hide. _

A door appeared.

Hermione took a quick look around to confirm no one was in the hall. When she was positive no one was around, she opened the door and walked inside.

It was mostly dark inside the Room of Requirement. The only light sources were things like bright objects throughout the room. Well, not exactly bright. More like twinkling glass objects like crystal balls. Hermione would've smiled in wonder if it wasn't for the pain that was ripping her heart. She immediately plummeted to the ground when she shut the door and buried her face in her hands, crying silently.

Hermione was startled when she felt a light shine on her skin and clothes, but she kept her face buried in her hands.

"Granger...Granger is that you?" a voice wondered out loud.

Hermione automatically knew who the voice belonged to. "What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Hermione asked, her voice shaking. But this time, her voice was shaking from the tears, pain, _and _fear. She could've sworn no one else would've found her here, or even that anyone followed her here. How could've Malfoy found her so easily? Unless...he was in the Room of Requirement before Hermione was...

"I was about to ask you the same thing, Granger," Malfoy sputtered. He sounded different...he sounded afraid. And if Hermione knew anything about Malfoy, she knew that he never sounded afraid.

"None of your business," Hermione breathed. "Just go away."

"Why don't you, Mudblood?" Hermione could feel Malfoy sneer. "I was in this room first. You think you have special rights to this room because you're a Gryffindor? Or because you're best friends with 'The Chosen One' and 'The Weasel Kin-'"

"Why don't you just shut your mouth, Malfoy?" Hermione jumped to her feet, pulled her wand out, and pointed it at Malfoy's neck. Hermione knew Malfoy could see her tear streaked face, since her hands were no longer covering it. Malfoy looked surprised and taken aback. He lifted his wand too, which was tipped with light on it's tip. But he didn't raise it too high.

"Don't even think about trying anything," Hermione threatened him. "And you think you're so great because you're a pureblood, huh? Or because your father's a death eater? We guess what, Malfoy. That doesn't make you any more special. I'm the one who has a wand pointed to you, not the other way around. You're the who's favorited by only one teacher, while I'm favored by almost all of them. So next time, watch your mouth, will you?"

Malfoy just stood there in shock. He looked at Hermione with worry in his eyes, well, worry and fear. "I'm sorry Granger." He actually sounded genuinely sorry, like he actually meant it.

Hermione was surprised by how Malfoy sounded, but drew her wand back. "Me too, Malfoy." She wiped more tears that fell from her eyes then turned away to leave. She walked until she finally reached the door and opened it. She turned back to look at Malfoy, who was still standing in the middle of the room. It didn't look like he was going to hex her or curse her. He just stood there, watching her leave. His eyes looked sincere, which she couldn't figure out why. The Malfoy she knew would never, ever look at her life that. But Hermione decided to accept it as she exited to room and decided to hid in the bathroom instead.


End file.
